When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Speak, write, and rhyme with absolute Victorian propriety!
Up for sale is a rare, curated collection of five late-19th and early-20th-century linguistic hardcovers centered around the iconic work of orthoëpist and elocutionist Alfred Ayres. These elegantly bound volumes are a bibliophile\'s dream, perfectly capturing the era\'s obsession with proper etiquette, standard pronunciation, and precise English versification.
What’s Included in This Set-
The Orthoëpist: A Pronouncing Manual (1884) – By Alfred Ayres. A gorgeous green cloth-bound 17th edition containing 3,500 commonly mispronounced foreign and English words.
The Verbalist: A Manual of the Right and Wrong Use of Words (1884) – By Alfred Ayres. Matching green cloth-bound volume dedicated to writing and speaking with ultimate 19th-century refinement.
The Rhymester: Or, The Rules of Rhyme (1882) – By the late Tom Hood, edited by Arthur Penn. An indispensable guide to classical English versification and songwriting mechanics.
The Essentials of Elocution (1897) – By Alfred Ayres. A revised and expanded edition focused on the art of delivery and public performance, featuring striking crimson cloth boards and multiple illustrations.
Cobbett’s English Grammar (1907) – Carefully revised and annotated by Alfred Ayres. A beautifully preserved brown hardcover edition of William Cobbett\'s famous, witty grammar text.
Condition Details:
Structurally sound and overall tightly bound with beautiful gilt-stamped lettering and decorative accents.
Covers: Minor shelf wear, light corner rubbing, and age-expected scuffing consistent with books over a century old.
Pages: Clean text blocks with gorgeous decorative endpapers and vintage gilt-edged pages on the primary Appleton manuals. No major internal tearing or heavy staining. Some age spotting and separation at attachment points in some. Expected wear from age.
Perfect for antique book collectors, history buffs, writers, or educators looking for a stellar conversational shelf display. Ships securely via USPS Media Mail. Buy the complete set today and save on individual collector pricing!If you would like additional photos of anything specific, please reach out to me!
